The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-23

THE INSANE HOSPITAL RING.

About year ago the Indiana civil
service Reform Association published PAM
phlet alleging gross Encouragement and
corruption in the administration of the In
sane Hospital, and demanded legislative in
vestigation. The House of Representatives
referred the matter to the standing COM
mittee on benevolent institutions. With the
details of the examination made by that COM
mittee the public is familiar. A condition of
and dishonored the State. Ever faith
full to it's instincts the Democratic
party rushed to the defense of the
culpable trustees. Green Smith left
the chair of the Senate to demand an inves-
tigation at the hands of that body that would
vindicate those gentlemen. A special
mttee carefully chosen with due regard
to this object, whereupon the chairman of
the standing committee on benevolent insti-
tutions, to whom the matter should have been
referred, resigned in disgust, in company with
several of his colleagues. But the white
washing committee signally failed in the at
tempted "yindication.' Despite arbitrary
rulings and eliminations the rec
ord stands as perpetual indictment of
the harrison regime that can never be nolied.
Hundreds of witnesses were summoned before
the two legislative committees, and by their
willing and unwilling admissions it was
proved that the trustees had grossly neglected
their duties or had incompetently discharged
them; that one of the trustees haa been absent
during nearly whole year on full
pay; that cholera hogs had been slaugh-
tered for the patients table; that large
quantities of decayed or inferior food had been
purchased and paid for at the highest
prices; that set of boilers recently put in
place were composed of rotten iron and I'M
safe; that the hospital a partisan ma
chine composed of the henchmen of the Dem
ocratic legislators who had voted the trus-
tees into office; that 636 changes had been
made among the employees during four years;
that these employees were divided into politi-
cal factions to the decentralization of
the institution; that gross cruel
ties practised upon the inmates
by brutal attendants; that the management
extravaganza; that at the end of the fiscal
year 1886 there We're unpaid bills in excess
of 80, 900, and so on ad infnitum, ad nau-
seam. The defense endeavored to meet these
revelations by general denials or explanations,
and the testimony of some of their witnesses
characterized by the grossest perjury.
But other of the employees of the hospital
could not be suborned. They came upon the
stand and told the truth, without fear
or favor. From that hour they were
doomed. 1t was only question of time I'M
til they should be discharged on some specious
plea, and now their heads are beginning to
roll in the basket. The first victim was c.. C.
Roth, assistant store-keeper. 1t was he who
testified to the receipt of Sullivan's maggoty
butter, to the relations subsisting between
that gentleman and CDR" Harrison and to
the bad character of the food generally. The
services of DIR. Browning, who was
goty butter, have also been dispensed
with. Rumor has it that DR..
Fletcher is next on the list. Whatever credit
attaches to the conduct of the Insane Hospital
belongs to him. Whatever reforms have been
introduced originated with him. But his tes-
timony before TIE legislative committee was
on various points extremely damaging TO the
character of the trustees management. He,
too was painfully familiar with the ties which
bound "Dr." Harrison to John E. Sullivan
And so, it is said, the fat is out that he
must go. When the institution shall have
been freed of the embarrassing presence of all
those who were so indiscreet as to tell the
truth about its management, it's condition will
be better imagined than described. One thing
is certain, the grip of the gang is tightening
on the Insane Hospital.
MR. GEORGES RECORD.
That +ba TTpitad ,ohor rortr Narr Veil